


Of Unlocked Doors and Other Problems

by paint_me_a_revolution



Category: Romeo & Juliette - Toho Stage, Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare, Romeo et Juliette - Presgurvic
Genre: But he really needs to knock, Romeo is trying his best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 02:11:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20332348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paint_me_a_revolution/pseuds/paint_me_a_revolution
Summary: Romeo really should have knocked. Then again, it was Romeo...





	Of Unlocked Doors and Other Problems

It started with little things, like finding a pair of Mercutio’s sunglasses on the kitchen counter or a pack of his preferred gum in between the couch cushions, things Romeo could easily brush off. Benvolio shrugged and changed the subject every time it was brought up, clearly uninterested. He pocketed the sunglasses and the gum, with promises to pass the items on the next time he saw Mercutio. Nothing seemed particularly out of order. And then it escalated.

Every time Romeo came home, it seemed Mercutio was there. Most days, Romeo would enter to find Mercutio casually peering from Benvolio’s room, or sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. Honestly, Romeo had no idea how he was even keeping up with his studies, the amount of time he spent over. “He’s getting by,” Benvolio said when Romeo brought it up, though, with the kind of earnest smile that had eased every one of Romeo’s worries in their childhood. So he brushed it off and continued as though nothing had changed.

Then things got _weird. _It seemed Benvolio was never at home, except when Mercutio was over. More than once, Romeo did a double take and confirmed that _yes, _that was Mercutio’s jacket his cousin was wearing, or his hat, or his shirt. He kept finding Mercutio’s prized knives in bizarre places (“The oven? Really?” asked Benvolio after one particular incident), and sometimes Mercutio stumbled out of Benvolio’s room in the morning, bleary-eyed and yawning (“We were up late studying,” Benvolio explained).

Really, Romeo _should _have known. It wasn’t like Benvolio to shut himself up in his room, or _study, _or keep secrets. In fact, Benvolio was usually one to over-share about every aspect of his life, until Romeo begged him to stop. As it was, Romeo didn’t realise what was going on until he opened Benvolio’s door one afternoon and saw a lot more of his cousin than he ever intended to.

“_Christ!” _Benvolio shouted, toppling over the side of the bed. “Don’t you _knock?”_

“Yeah.” Mercutio (Romeo should have fucking known) was wearing a shit-eating grin. He seemed unconcerned with the fact that every inch of him was as bare as the day he was born, simply fixing Romeo with a smug expression. Romeo wanted to crawl out of his skin, but he held his ground.

“Get dressed,” he said, tossing Benvolio’s discarded jeans at him. “We need to talk.”

“You know,” Benvolio grumbled several minutes later as he emerged from his room, topless and barefoot, “you really should learn how to fucking knock.” 

“Lock your door next time,” snapped Romeo. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought you knew.” Benvolio looked genuinely confused. He opened his mouth, fish-like, and shut it again.

“I didn’t.” Romeo sat down heavily on the couch. “Obviously. Where’s Mercutio?”

“He’s, uh,” Benvolio scratched his neck awkwardly. “He’s getting dressed. Um.”

“You know what,” Romeo decided, “I really don’t need to know. Lock your door next time.”

“Got it.” 


End file.
